Nut-cracker.



No. 699,529. Patented May 6, |902.

J. A. HUTCH'INSUN. NUT cnAcKER.

. (Application led. July 23, 1900.) 4(No Model.)

Mill@ Ncmms Pneus co.. Puurauwo.. wAmmmon. u. c.

NUiTnD STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN A. HUTCHINSON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF TWO-THIRDS TO JOHNE. I'IUTCI-IINSON AND CHARLES A. YATES.

NUT-CRACKER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 699,529, dated May 6,1902.

Application filed July 23, 1900. Serial No. 24,561. (No model.)

To all whom t may con/cern:

Be it known that I, JOHN A. HUTcHINsoN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, haveinvented certain new and useful ImprovementsinNut-Cracking Devices; andI do hereby declare the following'to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart 1o to which it appertains to make and use the same. My inventionrelates to improvements in nut-cracking devices of the class in whichnuts are cracked between a iixed jaw and a I5 lever-actuated jaw.

The especial objects of my improvements are to provide an ornamental andeasily-operated device embodying means by which it is instantly andautomatically adjustable to nuts of different sizes and whereby thepressure on the nuts may be regulated orcontrolled, to the end that theshell of dierent kinds of nuts may be cracked sufficiently to remove themeats and Without crushing the z5 latter. In many forms of nut-crackersspecial adjustment is required for each kind of nut, depending onthe-thickness of shell, and even when such adjustment is had owing tothe variation in the size of different nuts of aparticular variety somenuts will be cracked too much, While others will not be crackedsufficiently, `the' pressure being the same. Another objection to suchnu t-crackers is that there are no means for controlling, regulating,or-limiting the pressure on the nuts. These are objections which I haveovercome in my device, which consists generally of a xedjaw, whichpreferably or in the pattern shown is integral With a metal figure orbody in the form of a squirrel, a verticallymoving plunger carrying aplate or jaw between which and the fixed jaw the nuts are cracked,collars which encircle the plunger and frictionally engage or grip it atopposite points, means for tripping or releasing these collars fromengagement with the plunger, levers for operating the plunger, a springfor holding the plunger normally projected, and means for locking theplunger against down- 5o Ward movement when released from the grip ofthe collars.

Referring to the drawings, A represents the base of my device, which ispreferably of such shape and size as to form a suitable holder or dishfor the nuts. Rigidly secured to the base is a hollow frame B, which ismade in the form of a squirrel sitting erect on a tree 7o stump. Withinthe stump or portion C are located the operative parts ofthe device, the

4necessary bearings being provided in the walls of suoli portion, aswill be described in detail. Y

A vertically-moving tubular plunger D is positioned within the frame Cand has secured to its upper end, which projects through a suitableopening in the top of the frame, a plate or jaw E, the upper face e ofWhich is 8o slightly dished to form a suitable seat for a nut and thestein e' of which enters the plu`n ger and forms a bearing or stop forthe upper y end of a spiral springt. The jaw E is formed` With a tail orhandle, by which it may be grasped With the fingers and pushed downagainst the tension of the spring b, which normally holds the plunger inits projectedor upward position. Encircling the plunger are three ringsor collars 'c c' c2, the bores of Which 9o are formed at a slight angleto' a perpendicular line and each of- Which-is provided With lugs d d',projecting from opposite points on its periphery. These rings areloosely strung or arranged on the plunger, so that there is room forplay or vertical movementloetween them, and their respective lugs extendat different radii. Surrounding the plunger and the grippingcollars is asleeve or casing F, in which are formed slot-s f to receive the lugs rood and openings f to receive the lugs d'. Around the sleeve is slidinglyarranged a collar Gator-med with integral upwardly-extending arms g gg2, which are adapted to engage the lugs d, whereby the collars c, c,and c2 are supported in part at least. In the bottom of the collar G isa set-screw g3, by which the vertical play or downward movement of thecollar is limited and regulated, as will be described. Normally thecollars o, c', andc2 are held in a tilted position on the plunger, sothat the sides ot' their bores are parallel with the sid-es ofthe plunger, and the latter may be freely moved up and down, the spiral springoffering but slight resistance to the down ward' movement. In order togrip the plunger, the collars must be brought to a horizontal position,so that the edges of their bores will frietionally engage the sides ot'the plunger, and this is effected by raising the collar G by means ofthe sleeve F, which in turn is raised by the yoke-lever ILlwhich isoperated by the lever S, which is in the form of the tail of thesquirrel. The yoke-lever is fulcrumed at h in the frame B, has bearingsh', in which rest lugs d2 on opposite sides of the sleeve F, and isprovided with an extension h2, the

y hooked end of which is engaged by the lower yend of the lever S. Thelever S is formed with a shoulder s and is provided with trunnions s?,which have bearings in the frame or casing B. When in upright position,the shoulder s ot` the lever engages the tail or extension ,70E the ringJ, which surrounds the plunger near its upper end and is formed with anangular bore in the same manner as the collars c. The ring is looselyarranged on the plunger, slightly tilted, and with its extension restingon a pinj, which is secured in the casing. the plunger against downwardmovement by gripping irs sides in a manner similar to the action of thecollars and is released by the shoulder s. of the lever striking againstit when the lever is brought to its upright or normal position. Thuswhen it is desired to depress the lever a second time in the same y.operation in order to exert greater pressure on a nut ythe collars arereleased from contact the lower end of the spring b.

The parts being assembled in the manner shown, my device operates asfollows: The plunger is depressed by grasping and press- The ring isadapted to hold ing downwardly the extension of the plate or jawsuiciently to admit a nut between the two jaws. The plate is thenreleased, and the tension of the spring will hold the nut in place untilthe lever or handle is depressed, whereupon the plunger will be raisedsufficiently to crack the nut by the collars gripping it at theirseveral points of contact, the throw of the lever and the upwardmovement ot the collars being limited in the relative ar rangement ofthe parts. If further or greater pressure on the nut is desired, thelever is brought back to its upright or normal position, whereupon thecollars are released and drop by gravity to their normal position, inwhich they are ready for a second gripping by repeating the depressionot' the handle, the plunger in the meantime being held rmly andpositively in its projected position by the ring in the mannerdescribed.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire toobtain by Letters Patent, is-

l. In a nut-cracker, the combination of a frame having a fixed jaw, avertically-moving plunger carrying a jaw, collars surrounding saidplunger, said collars having their bores at an angle to the plane of theplunger, means for normally holding the collars out of frictionalengagement with the plunger upon the upward movement of the latter, andlevers for raising the plunger, substantially as set forth.

2. In a nut-cracker, the combination of a frame having a fixed jaw, avertically-moving and spring-supported plunger carrying a jaw, collarssurrounding said plunger, said collars having their bores at an angle tothe plane of the plunger, a sleeve normally holding the collars out ofengagement with the plunger upon the upward movement of the latter, acollar engaging said sleeve, and levers adapted to raise said collar andplunger, substantially in the manner and for the purpose set forth.

3. In a nut-cracker, the combination of a frame having a fixed jaw, avertically-moving and spring-supported plunger carrying a jaw, collarssurrounding said plunger, said collars having their bores at an angle tothe plane of the plunger and provided with lateral lugs, a sleevesurrounding said collars and having openings engaging said lugs,a collarsurrounding said sleeve and adapted to engage same, and levers forraising said plunger and collar, as set forth. I

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence ot' two witnesses.

JOHN A. IAIUTCIIINSON.

Witnesses: l

F. BENJAMIN, Guo. J. MUNRon.

IOO

IIO

